In Tangier
by pandorabox82
Summary: When Rossi whisks away the team for an exotic two week trip to Morocco, new pairings are formed in the team, as per his orders. Erin finds herself paired up with Spencer, and she wonders what this fortnight will bring them. Written for the CCOAC vacation challenge.
1. Chapter 1

Erin smiled happily as the plane began to land in Tangier. Dave had arranged this vacation for them all, going so far as to include her, even though they had broken up months ago. Getting away from the office for a few weeks, though, was a welcome relief. She had been surprised, though, to see that neither Aaron's girlfriend, nor Jennifer's husband had accompanied them. The blonde had said that Will had had to stay home with Henry, which made sense, but Beth being absent was odd, she felt.

Not that it really mattered to her, all she cared about was losing herself in another culture for an entire fortnight. The plane taxied to their gate and she popped up, needing to stand after the long flight. It seemed that Dr. Reid was of the same mind as her, though he forgot to factor in how low the overhead bins were. She gave him a sympathetic glance and he nodded as he winced. Together, they helped pull down the other's carryon bags, handing them around. "Thanks, Erin," he said as they exited the plane, gathering in a tight circle around Dave.

"So, I thought that since we were in a new country we should switch things up. In this envelope are two sets of numbers, one through four. Those numbers will determine who you bunk with for the next two weeks while we're in Morocco." The others groaned lowly, while Erin just looked at him askance. He shrugged, a mischievous smile dancing over his lips. "Would you like to go first, Erin?"

"Sure, why not?" she asked as she held out her hand. Dave held out the envelope and she slipped her forefinger and thumb inside, fishing out a slip. Looking at it, she smiled. "Well, looks like I got number one."

Agent Morgan laughed a little. "Why does that not surprise me?" he said as he held out his hand. He quickly pulled out a slip and then elbowed Penelope. She plucked a number out and squealed in pleasure. "What is it, Baby Girl?"

"I got my favorite number! Three!" She showed them all the slip before tugging on Derek's arm. "What number did you get?"

"I'm a three, too."

"Must be kismet then, sweetheart." She snuggled close to him, letting him wrap his arm around her waist. Aaron went next, holding his number close to his chest as Alex and Spencer went next. They compared numbers, frowning a little, and she knew in that moment they had not been paired up. "What numbers did you three get?"

Aaron held up two fingers while Alex held up four. _Which could only mean that Spencer is either paired with Aaron or myself for the next two weeks. Oh, god, I hope he's with Aaron. We would not get along at all._ Her train of thought was interrupted when Spencer locked eyes with her. His single, solitary, finger caused her to gulp and she nodded slightly. She barely acknowledged when Jennifer got paired up with Hotch, leaving Dave to bunk with Alex.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting fourteen days," Dave said lowly, winking at her slyly. "Now come on, we have some luggage to pick up. And you have to walk with your partner. No time like the present to get used to each other."

Taking a deep breath, she made her way over to Spencer's side, smiling shyly at him. "I know I'm the last person you wanted to get paired with on this vacation. I'll try to keep out of your hair."

He cocked his head to the side as he tugged her carryon off her shoulder, slinging it over his. "I don't quite think that's what Rossi had in mind for this vacation. We're supposed to get to know each other."  
"There's not much to know," she said lowly, bowing her head.

Spencer reached out and grabbed hold of her hand, squeezing tightly. "I highly doubt that, Ma'am."

"It's Erin, at least for these two weeks." From the corner of her eye, she saw him nod and she let out a long breath. "And may I call you Spencer?"

"Certainly." They followed behind the others, and she found herself becoming more relaxed in his presence as the moments ticked by. The luggage carrousel was already spinning by the time they reached it, and Spencer let go of her hand to join the other men, waiting for their luggage. Penelope came up to her side, grinning widely.

"Just so you know, Blake is quite put out. She assumed that she would be bunking with our resident boy genius. You know, Ashley once told me that he was most attentive to her needs." Erin felt her face turn bright red, tittering along with Penelope's full laugh. "Oh, I highly doubt you'll experience that, but you never know. What happens in Morocco, stays in Morocco, right?"

"That's how we're going to play it, Baby Girl." Derek came up to them, setting his hand on Penelope's shoulder. "After all, we're not in the office, are we?"  
"That's right. Have fun, Erin. Let yourself go." She looked up into Dave's soft brown eyes and nodded slightly. "All right, the limo is waiting to take us to our hotel. Let's head out." Erin jumped a little as Spencer chose to settle his arm around her waist. The weight felt right and she unconsciously drifted closer to him. He helped her into the limo, sliding in next to her and pressing his leg against her.

The entire ride over, all she could focus on was how warm his flesh felt, even though they were separated by two layers of fabric. He seemed to take no notice of how he was affecting her, occasionally knocking elbows with her as they hit a bump in the road. Crossing her legs in an attempt to get away from him, she knocked off her sandal and fumbled trying to put it back on. Spencer bent and picked up the sandal, slipping it back on her foot and smiling up at her winningly. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," he responded as he sat back up, scooting a little closer to her. As he fell back in an easy conversation with Alex, she sighed a little, catching Penelope's eye. The woman was grinning, and she shook her head.

"So, what are you going to do first?" the woman asked, leaning forward a little. "Me and my chocolate lava god are going to hit the beach and I am going to turn this pale skin tan by the time we head home."

"If you don't burn first, Baby Girl."

"That's why I have you to rub the sunscreen in." Penelope winked at her and Erin found herself laughing lightly. It felt good to just let go and not worry about who was looking over her shoulder, who was judging her every move. "And if you need his hands, too, Erin, just let me know. My honey boo gives great massages as well."

"That probably won't be necessary. I won't be in the sun much." She looked down at her lap, wondering what they would be doing for two weeks. She had no idea what Spencer liked to do outside of read, and she was really uncertain if their pairing up would affect what each of them wanted to do.

Spencer reached over and patted her thigh softly, never breaking his conversation with Alex as he did so. Something about the move soothed her and she looked up at Penelope, certain her cheeks were bright red. "Well, whatever the two of you decide to do, I'm sure you'll have fun."

Erin nodded and settled back, relaxing more and more as the drive went on. This time spent in Tangier was going to be amazing, she could just feel it.


	2. Chapter 2

"And here are your room keys," Dave said as he handed out key cards to them all. "We're all on the fifth floor. Have a great evening and see you all in two weeks."

Erin smiled a little as she took the envelope from Dave's hands. Spencer had gathered all their luggage, just leaving her with one carryon to sling over her shoulder, and she led him over to the elevators. Penelope and Derek joined them, and she found herself enjoying the other woman's happy chatter. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us to the beach for a little bit? When's our next chance to see this side of the Atlantic Ocean?"  
"Maybe. We'll have to see." The woman nodded and snuggled into Derek, resting her head on his chest. Erin felt a deep pang of longing in her heart. She missed the companionship of a relationship, she truly did.

"If you want to join them, I wouldn't mind. I'm not much of a beach person myself. Too much sand getting into sensitive places." She nodded a little, feeling hurt that he wanted to push her away so soon. And then, he was smiling at her kindly, and she shrugged as they stepped into the elevator. Once on the fifth floor, she quickly found their room and let them in.

"Oh," she said lowly as she saw that there was only one bed in the room. "I can sleep in the chair just as easily…"

"No, we'll be fine sharing the bed. Won't we?" He stepped closer to her, closing the door and throwing the deadbolt. "I mean, we're colleagues, we can get along without doing anything inappropriate for two weeks."

"I suppose that we can. Spencer?"

"Yes, Erin?"

"Would you go down to the beach with me? I would like to see the ocean and take some pictures. And we're supposed to do things together, if we listen to David."

He nodded, setting their bags down on the bed. "That might actually be nice. We can take care of our things when we get back." She smiled and grabbed her camera out of her purse, slipping one of the room keys in her pocket. "Are you ready to head out now, then?"

"If you are." He nodded once more and then held out his hand. She was surprised by the gesture, but hesitantly clasped it. His hand was warm against hers, and she liked how right it felt. "I know this isn't how you planned to spend your vacation, Spencer."

"And I know you would rather have been paired with Rossi. But, we'll play the cards we're dealt and make the best of this." He tightened his hand and she squeezed back, needing the comfort. Together, they went out the door, meeting Penelope and Derek in the hall once more. The woman had changed into a soft pink sundress, a floppy straw hat on her head.

"Ooh, you changed your mind!" the woman said excitedly as she grinned at them. Erin nodded and held up her camera. "Those will be amazing pictures. Come on, come on, the day's a-wasting. Do you want to meet up later for supper, say at seven?"

Erin found that she was already looking forward to the time spent with her friend, and she nodded. "At least, I would. I don't know about Spencer."

"That would be great, actually." Penelope nodded and snuggled into Derek as they both shook their heads. Spencer laughed lightly as he changed how their hands were entwined. A soft shiver swept down her spine and she let out a deep breath as they stepped onto the elevator. "I was hoping to make it down to Casablanca at some point, too."

Erin looked up at him, a quick smile on her face. "I was hoping to as well. And it's only a four hour train ride, I checked already, before we left."

He nodded and she found herself blushing at the look he gave her. Looking away quickly, she sighed a little as he pulled her tighter against him. "We might even have time to explore Fez while we're at it. Mom filled my head with tales of the old cities of the world, and that one ranked up there with Carthage."

"We'll have to see how much time we have," she murmured. The elevator doors opened, and they walked out from the lobby, quickly crossing the street to get to the beach. Derek and Penelope peeled off, waving at them as they went to find a secluded spot on the beach.

"Would you mind if I put my arm around your waist again?" She shook her head and he let go of her hand, wrapping his arm tightly around her. "I thought I saw a pier about a mile down the beach. You could get some great pictures there."

"Lead the way, Spencer." He nodded and began to direct her in the right direction. The comfortable silence that fell over them soothed her in some inexplicable way and she found herself cleaving tighter to him as they went on. "So, um, how is your mother?"

"She's doing okay. The drugs she's on aren't helping as much as they once were, and her doctor hasn't found a new combination that works yet. I couldn't tell her what happened to Maeve. It would have set her back so much, so I just told her we broke things off." He sighed and she knocked her head against his chest lightly, wanting to comfort him. "And how are your children?"

"They're doing well. I don't hear much from them these days, they're off living their lives. Mother doesn't really matter anymore, you know."

"No. My mother always mattered to me."

She sighed sadly and felt his thumb begin to rub up and down her side. "I messed up, Spencer. Atonement isn't always the easiest thing to do, nor is it always accepted. I've come to terms with that." The salty tang of the ocean air felt heavy against her skin and she stopped suddenly, looking up at him. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For messing up." She felt the lump in her throat grow as they continued to look into each other's eyes and then he was reaching up and cupping her cheek. She rubbed her face into his hand, finally letting her eyes close and the tears fall.

"I've messed up, too. But something my mother told me helped greatly. She said that it's only the broken pieces of glass that get put in a kaleidoscope, and those broken pieces make the most beautiful mosaics. We have to learn to see the beauty in our lives, Erin, not the mess."

She nodded, trying to get control of her emotions. "I'll try to keep that in mind," she whispered as they began to walk on once more. It didn't take long for them to reach the pier and they made their way to the very end. Erin sat and watched the horizon, snapping a few pictures of the ocean.

"Here, let me take a few, too." Spencer held out his hand and she handed the camera over before turning back to stare out at the water. Vaguely, she heard the click of the button, but thought nothing of it, letting the peace of the unchanging ocean settle into her soul. "Look at me, Erin."

She turned, the wind whipping her hair around her face, and she reached up to push it back, smiling lightly at him. He snapped one final picture, of her, before sitting down next to her, settling his arm in its proper place. That thought startled Erin, as she knew the only thing they were was friends. Still, though, she rested her head against his chest, content to be in his arms and feel understood, even if only for a few days.


	3. Chapter 3

"I haven't even looked at the pictures I took this afternoon," she said as she shook out the dress she'd chosen for supper. "I hope they turned out, Penelope said that she wanted to see them."

"I'm sure they look fine. Come on, we're starting to run into late territory." Erin nodded and picked up her purse, stuffing the camera inside as she hurried over to the door. "You look nice, by the way. I've always liked that color on you."

She blushed at the compliment, smoothing an absent wrinkle in her skirt. "I love wearing navy blue," she said lowly, letting him fit his arm around her waist once more. By the time they got down to the restaurant, Penelope and Derek were already seated in a secluded booth that the host led them to. "Good evening."

"Evening, Erin, Reid. Did you have a good afternoon?" Penelope asked as they sat down.

"Yes. I see you didn't get too burned out there." Penelope nodded, glancing at Derek. "Must be nice to have such a considerate lover."

"Well, when we get home, we'll have to start looking for one for you. Derek has a few friends that are really nice." Erin didn't fail to notice the look Penelope sent Spencer's way, and she wondered what was going on. It almost seemed like she was being set up, but that was absurd. Wasn't it?

"Perhaps. Oh, did you want to see my pictures?" Penelope nodded eagerly and Erin handed over the camera before starting to look over the menu.

"I thought we'd share a pair of lamb kebabs and an order of the Moroccan Couscous," Spencer said lowly. "Unless there's something else that catches your eye." Erin took a cursory glance at the menu and drew in a soft breath. "What would you rather have?"

"This." She pointed to the dish, Mrouzia, smiling gently. "This sounds delicious to me this evening. If you don't mind." He shook his head and her smile widened. "Thank you."

"Did you take this picture, Reid?" Penelope asked, holding the camera up so they could both see it. Erin gasped at how open she looked in the picture, the smile on her face unguarded as she looked up at Spencer.

"Yes. It turned out great." His hand slipped over to rest on her knee and she gulped a little, picking up her water glass and taking a long sip. "I'm finding that I enjoy taking pictures of people, of trying to find their hidden essence that they only reveal in flashes. We hide ourselves away, creating a public face to hide our vulnerabilities so that others won't think less of us. I'm tired of hiding like that. Maeve taught me to not be so caught up on the outer shell, to see to the heart of matters. I want to live for her."

"That is so insanely sweet, Reid," Penelope said as she handed back the camera. "How are you doing?"

"Better. Two months have really helped me to find peace with what happened. We loved each other, she was my first real love, but I know that she'd want me to move on, to find that with someone else." His hand tightened on her knee painfully, and Erin wondered if the other couple knew how big a lie he was telling them. Setting her glass aside, she let her left hand fall into her lap before covering Spencer's, rubbing it lightly with her thumb.

And then he did something totally unexpected. He turned his hand over and clasped hers tightly. Somehow she knew that he needed the contact and she threaded her fingers between his, smiling gently down at the table. "I know how you feel, Spencer. It's hard, but you have to find a way to move on from your first love."

"I don't think I've ever been in love until now." Penelope looked up at Derek, a dreamy smile on her face. "And now that I am, I don't want it to end. Ever."

"Then work very hard to keep your love strong. Alan and I forgot to do that, and he fell out of love with me. We changed when we weren't looking and didn't work those changes into our life together. Sometimes, the center cannot hold."

"Yeats," Spencer murmured, and she nodded, blushing a little at having been caught referencing another person. "You know Yeats well enough to work his words into general conversation."

"Yes. I majored in English. I love his poems." She looked over at him and found his gaze open and soft. They smiled at each other before looking up at the waiter. Erin found she was content with letting Spencer take the lead, ordering for them and getting both the lamb kebabs and the dish she had picked out for them to split. "Oh, and could we get a pot of mint tea as well?" she asked, and the waiter nodded.

Erin settled back in the booth, letting her shoulders relax, knowing she was among friends at the moment. As they talked, she saw David and Alex enter the restaurant, and was relieved when they were shown to a table on the opposite end of the room. That still didn't stop the woman from coming up to their table a few moments later, and she immediately tensed up, plastering on a smile. "How has your first day here been?" the woman asked, not really meeting any of their eyes.

"Great! Derek and I swam for a bit in the ocean, and then we went exploring a little. There's so much to do here, I don't think we'll get half of what we want to do done. And are you and Rossi getting along?"  
"So far. I tried to talk him into switching with Reid, since that would probably be more comfortable for all of us, but he disagreed. Said we had to play the hand Fate dealt us." Erin sucked in a low breath, trying desperately to think of something to say to the woman. "Well, I just thought I'd say hi. Have a good evening."

And just like that, Alex was gone and Erin relaxed once more. Letting go of Spencer's hand, she took another sip of her water before adjusting how she sat, unconsciously scooting closer to him. "That was…awkward," Derek said as he frowned in her general direction. "I still don't understand what her beef is with you, Erin. All I know is that she can't move on, like you so obviously have."

"Well, she has every right to be upset with me. I almost got her fired." She held onto her glass, needing something to do with her hands. "I've done everything I could, I offered my apologies, it's up to her to accept them. And if she doesn't, that's all right, since I know I asked for forgiveness."

Penelope smiled at her and she shrugged a little, feeling tears prickle her eyes. "I know how that feels. I'm still waiting on my four stepbrothers." Erin nodded and took another drink of water, feeling her hands start to shake with the onset of a craving. Spencer noticed the tremors first and reached out rest his hand on her shoulder. Something about the gesture calmed her and she unconsciously leaned towards him, seeking out the comfort he offered. She also didn't fail to miss the look that Penelope and Derek shared, and she shook her head, not certain she was ready to handle the meddling those two were sure to do.


	4. Chapter 4

"Have a good night, Penelope, Derek!" she called out as Spencer unlocked their door, letting them inside. The bed situation hadn't changed from that afternoon, and she wondered how they would work things, really.

Spencer closed and locked the door while she made her way overt to the plush chair, almost collapsing onto it. "Are you still craving?" he asked gently as he knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.

"A little. Alex does that to me. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Erin." He changed position to sit Indian style, and took off her shoes, gently rubbing her feet and calves. "I still get the cravings, bad ones. They've gotten worse since I lost Maeve."

"You didn't deserve to lose her, I'm sorry we didn't get there in time. You know that you could have taken more time off. You didn't have to rush back to the office."

"I think I did, Erin. I would have lost myself to ennui had I not. I miss her, so much." He gently set her foot back down on the floor as he began to openly cry. In that moment, Erin felt her heart break for him and she slid out of the chair to kneel next to him, wrapping him in a tight hug. His arms snaked around her waist, holding her tightly as his tears gave way to sobs. For some reason, she began to cry as well, tightening her hold on him. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?" he whispered as he helped her to her feet after long minutes had passed.

"I guess so. I didn't realize I needed to let that out. Thank you." Leaning forward, she gently kissed his cheek, needing to comfort him. His breathed fanned out against her cheek and she sighed a little, letting him lead her over to the bed. They sat softly and she curled up into him, wanting to feel sheltered for just a little while longer.

"Would you mind if I took my shower now?" he said, gently disentangling himself from her arms. She shook her head as she motioned to her back. "Ah, yes, turn a little." She did, and he gently ran the zipper down her back. His long fingers caressed her back and she bit back the moan that threatened to escape from her lips.

"I'll probably be sleeping by the time you get back in here. This air has made me quite tired." She yawned a little, trying to cover up the way her body reacted to him. Spencer nodded and picked up his night clothes before heading into the bathroom.

Once the door was closed, she released the breath she'd been holding and tugged the dress from her shoulders. Stepping out of it, she quickly hung it back on the hanger before taking off her bra and burying it in her bag. "Erin, could you…"

She gasped and whirled around, hurriedly crossing her arms across her chest. "I, I should have waited until I heard the water running," she babbled as she looked anywhere but at him.

"Where did you get that scar?"

Her entire body stiffened as she turned her head to look at him. "You would focus on that first. Alan, well, my ex-husband and I used to get into really bad fights in the first few years of our marriage. We both have such strong personalities that it took a while to learn how to compromise and live well together."

"And how did he give you that?" he asked, probing further as he came to her side, his fingers brushing against the jagged line that ran across her stomach.

"We were arguing about something stupid. He picked up a vase and it broke in his hand, cutting him. Alan was furious, and he stabbed me with one of the pieces. Luckily, it wasn't very deep and only took a few stitches to close up." The tears returned and he opened his arms, letting her rest her head against his chest.

"Shh, Erin. Did you ever talk to Rossi about that?" She nodded a little, and his arms tightened a little around her body. "And he let Alan live?"

"Yes. I wouldn't let him do anything." He nodded a little, not letting her go. "It was such a long time ago, Spencer. I'm not that girl any longer."

"No, you're all woman." The quiet reply startled her and she pulled away from him a little. "Life never let you be a girl, did it?"

"No," she whispered, wondering how he could see her so well.

"I know that feeling very well. Now, I need to grab my razor, that's what I forgot. Are you doing okay?"

She was a bit mortified that he had to ask her that, and she nodded slightly. He still didn't let her go and she listened to the rustle of clothing before feeling him tug a nightgown over her head and she slipped her arms into the sleeves, letting it fall down around her knees. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." They let go of each other and he rummaged through one of his bags to get his razor before heading back in the bathroom. Erin took a few deep breaths to try and calm her racing heart and she made her way over to the bed, pulling back the covers and climbing in. The mattress was firm, like she liked it, and she fluffed the pillows before snuggling into it, bringing the covers up to her chin.

And then she tried to get to sleep. She was tired, the bone weary exhaustion that came from emotional honesty gnawing at her brain. Yet try as she might, she couldn't drift off, couldn't give over to sleep. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to think of ways to save face with Spencer. It wasn't so much that he's seen her body as it was he had seen her soul. Erin would rather have had him leer, stare, comment on her breasts, her hips, anything but bring up the scar on her torso.

Spencer's look had left her vulnerable, so vulnerable, and she longed to take a drink of something that would make her forget how his look made her feel. Emotional nudity was still something that she was becoming accustomed to, and Erin knew she had to deal with how she was feeling at some point.

When the door to the bathroom reopened, she still had not fallen asleep and she turned on her side to watch him put away his things. "In the morning, I'll help you get everything put away in the drawers and closet. I hate feeling like I live out of bags." He met her eye and smiled and she found herself smiling back, beckoning him over to the bed. "I thought you were tired."

"So did I. I can't sleep, and I don't know why." He nodded and got into bed, letting his arm drape over her waist, running his thumb up and down her side as he just looked into her eyes. The sorrow she found there seemed to reflect the sadness in her own heart and she found her smile wobbling a little as she let him pull her close.

"I miss Maeve. More than I ever thought I would. I was so used to thinking that love was nothing more than a social construct."

"And then it happened to you. Real, true, love, the kind that can gut you in a heartbeat, if you let it. Oh, I remember that feeling. I had thought I would find that again in David, but I was wrong, so wrong. We're better off as friends, and there's still this hole in my heart."

"Just like there's a hole in mine." She nodded a tiny bit and he lifted his head to gently kiss her forehead. The tender gesture calmed her and she snuggled into him, needing the warmth that he exuded. "Go to sleep now, Erin. Everything will be clearer in the morning."

"I certainly hope so," she said through a yawn, curling her hand around his shoulder as she let her eyes close and sleep finally took over.


	5. Chapter 5

Erin woke up to the delicious smell of breakfast. Sitting up, she stretched and looked around, finding Spencer had set everything up on the table near the window in their room. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in months, actually, Erin." He smiled at her and she ran her hand through her hair. "I ordered breakfast for us. I hope you don't mind." She shook her head and slid out of bed, joining him at the table.

"Is there anything on the agenda for today? I mean, you should pick, since I sort of barreled over your choice yesterday."

"I was thinking we could head up to the Casbah. On the way back to the hotel, we could look at the medina, but I heard that the ones in Fez and Marrakesh are much better in terms of what they sell. Tangier really is more of a tourist trap in that respect."

She nodded and looked down at her plate. "This is a thoroughly American breakfast, Spencer. I thought that you would be one to go totally native."

The teasing in her voice worked wonders and he grinned at her. "There is only one way to start the morning, and that is with coffee and eggs."

She nodded and dug into her food, letting a comfortable silence over them. She noticed that he would occasionally look at her and she blushed a little each time they met eyes. "What do you think I should wear?"

"Something tasteful, not that you would have anything offensive in your wardrobe. I would go with a long skirt rather than pants." She nodded and began to eat in earnest, finding herself ravenous.

While Spencer took care of their dishes, setting them outside the door, she pulled out an outfit and went into the bathroom, quickly changing and brushing her hair. Applying a soft pink lipstick, she smiled at herself in the mirror, hoping that he didn't mind her foregoing makeup for the day.

When she went back into the room, she found that he had dressed already and was sitting on the bed, waiting for her. A small smile passed over his lips as he looked at and she found herself blushing a little at his appreciation. "Do you think that this will be okay?"  
"Perfect," he breathed out as he stood and came over to her side. "I got your purse ready, too. I hope you don't mind." She shook her head and held out her hand to him. Spencer slipped his hand into hers and led her out of the room. It seemed like no one else was up at that time, as they encountered no one in the hall as they walked to the elevator.

On the ride down, she found herself drifting closer to him, wanting to be closer to him for some reason. Unquestioningly, he wrapped his arm around her waist and she sighed at the contact. "I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable to hold me so. I've found recently that I relish human contact."

"I'm the same. No one in our team thinks that I need that, but you've unerringly zeroed in on that and asked for it from me." A few tears began to roll down her cheeks and she wiped them away before resting her head on his chest. "I wish that Maeve had lived, that I had been able to hold her like this."

There was such a brokenness to his voice that Erin felt her heart shatter. Turning to him, she threw her arms around his waist and held him tightly, needing to comfort him in that moment. "Oh, Spencer, how you have suffered."

"Suffering builds character," he wryly said and she shook her head. Tenderly, he stroked her hair as the doors opened on the ground floor. They walked out into the bright warm sun and she slipped her sunglasses on, letting Spencer lead her out into the crowd.

It was a long hike up to the Casbah, but she felt her breath catch as she looked out over the view. "It's so beautiful, Spencer. Look at the ocean."

He nodded and rested his hand on the small of her back, rubbing softly. Smiling up at him, she pulled out her camera and took a picture of him. He smiled at her before taking the camera and snapping a few shots of her and then them together. After they had explored and taken pictures of every single inch of the place, he guided her down to the exit. "Let's get lunch before we head out and do some shopping."

"That sounds wonderful," she said lowly, relishing the weight of his arm around her waist. They wandered around until they found a little café that wasn't crowded, and he held out her chair for her. Once she was seated, he took the chair at her right hand and then placed their order with the waiter, requesting the dish that he had forgone last night.

After it had arrived, Erin smiled at him. "This does look delicious," she said before taking a bite. It was somewhat spicier than she had expected and she hurriedly picked up her glass of rose water, taking a long sip.

He nodded as he took another bite. "It is really spicy, isn't it?"

"But it is really good. I'm glad you let me change last night, though. This would have kept me awake with heartburn." He nodded and they finished eating. Once he had settled the bill, they walked out into the bazaar and began to look at all the various offerings. Erin's eyes lit on a pair of soft rose leather slippers and she tugged Spencer over to the stall.

In halting Arabic, she started haggling for them, and was relieved when the vendor switched to English and came down quite a bit on the price. Handing over the requested amount of money, she happily took the shoes and grinned at Spencer. "Those will look really nice with that dress you packed."

"When did you see that?"

"When I was putting away our clothes." She began to blush a little, handing the shoes over to him so that he could put them away in his bag. "Don't worry, you don't have anything embarrassing in your bags." His hand rubbed her back softly and then they continued on.

"Oh, that's so pretty," Erin murmured as they stopped by a stall selling clothing.

"That's the traditional dress of most Moroccan people. It's called a _djellaba_. Do you really like that one?" he asked, pulling out the light blue outfit. It was beautifully decorated with seed pearls and embroidery, and she felt her heart skip a beat as he held it up against her. "It would look beautiful on you."

His hand brushed against her breast and she tried to ignore the way her nipple stiffened into a tight peak at the soft touch, instead nodding steadily as she looked at herself in the mirror that the merchant held up. "Would your wife like to see some other _djellaba_s, sir?" he asked, and Spencer looked at her, a tender smile on his face.

"Yes, I think she would. Pastels, I think, or jewel tones would work best with her coloring." It was a little odd how easily he fell into the patriarchal role, but a part of her thrilled at the lead he took.

The merchant pulled out several of the garments and she fell in love with each and every one of them, from the light lilac to the sapphire blue. "Spencer, I don't know if I can afford all of these," she whispered in his ear, and he just looked at her.

"This will be my gift to you, Erin. All right?" She nodded a little before snuggling close to his chest, letting him purchase ten of the garments for her. "Now, let's head back to the hotel. I could use a bit of a nap before supper."

"That sounds wonderful," she whispered, accepting the bag from the merchant's hands before letting Spencer lead her back in the direction of their hotel.


End file.
